FO's and UFO's

 The OddBalls are a tangled yarn with new balls showing up and projects in various stages. 

 The group project/Downton Hat update ; 3  finished and 3 or 4 about to be finished making a total of 6 completed hats! I saw them last night and all are on the last leg and looking SO good!   Keep working gals.  I sure hope we can all get together for a toast and photo op of us all in our very cool hats!

 This shawl I finished  in the pinks and magenta's  is from Ravelry - a pattern called Peruvian Central - yes it was easy.  Garter stitch and purl - can't get much easier than that!  This yarn is Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Oxyblood and Vintage Sari.    So luxurious to knit with and even better when blocked out. 

I hope eventually to get everyones Ravelry name so we can be friends on Ravelry.  If you look for me there I am Timelessdog! This is where its happening with advice, free patterns and so many yarn ideas - maybe we need a class or a short 10 minutes on how to use the site to your benefit!  I use it constantly to see what others have made with a particular yarn and how it looks knitted up!

 Your overworked leader Vicki aka: Ripley has this pattern waiting for the group to begin.   Its called Multnomah.  Super simple shawl, again a free pattern download on Ravelry - hint its http://www.ravelry.com
search  Multnomah - The shops yarns that would work nice for this might include Pagewood Farm's Denali sock yarn.   I happened to use KnitPicks Chroma (color impressionist) fingering yarn for mine, but Poems Sock yarn from the shop would yeild a similar look in a amazing colorways too.

Several Multnomah shawls are in progress, you can use scraps on this too for stripes or whatever your heart desires.  Take a  look at how the hundreds of others have knit this up to get ideas over on Ravelry!

 Part of the fun of finished a project is taking a photo of it to share.  WE NEED PHOTOS ladies!   Even if its just the start of something, we are here to encourage you to get from UFO which of course is Unfinished Object to a FO a Finished Object.   Phew, I am exhausted with all this encouragement.

Don't feel bad  if you frog something to the curb either, because its just what happens sometimes, and a good yarn to tell.  I just  frogged some very cool siberian slippers I started. I fell in love with the patten and they looked so incredibly amazing at first, only to hate them at the last.  They have left in the trash!   Seriously, not every project is a winner!   Don't expect it, just enjoy the journey.

Do you remember the Summer Waves Cardi!   I knit two of these this year, love it and Oh hey  - the pattern is on Ravelry!
Three cardi's  have been finished by OddBalls and 3 more are on the needles by others in our group.  Lets plan a photo op!

Besides my push to get you on Ravelry I want to mention Craftsy.com.   The workshops they offer are really amazing.  I am currently taking the toe up sock workshop and next post I will share with you some of the fun.

Last but not least ~ The Odd Balls split  into a Friday Morning group 10AM to Noon and has kept our original Tues evening gathering from 5PM to 7PM.  The OddBalls have grown!  The tables are overflowing with projects and yarn, new people and foundering people, seasoned knitters and new knitters, young and old - My format for sharing our knitting experience will probably be changing to more general news, yarn and pattern updates and education of your craft.   Till next time ~

Hat KAL (Knit A Long) This Tues 8/13/13

OK ladies and gents, its time to get ready for this great group KAL that Vicki has found for us.  She has finished hers using the worsted yarn and the toddler size which she says fits perfect.   If you are on Ravelry.com you can find the pattern there for free download called Downton.    If you prefer you can go to Knitosfacto and she has a pdf download for you there.  http://knitsofacto.blogspot.com/2011/10/downton-hat.html.

If that's not enough VeryPink.com has a YouTube tutorial on it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRIIYlKDr7w but I think Vicki will have just what you need for instructions...its just knit and pearl after all! 

The shop has chosen 3 different yarns specially priced for this project, but you can choose what you want as long as its one of the right weighted yarns for the project.

Print your pattern, come early, shop for your yarn and needles if you don't already have the correct needles on hand and Vicki will get you started in a jiffy.  I can hardly wait!  We will be sure to have a group photo with all of us in our new Downton hats!

Keep in mind this is two tones with the body of the hat one color and the brim a second color. - consider plumbs, red and grey, black and grey, tweeds.  Check with Vicki regarding yarns, needles and guage if you have questions.

Feburary 19th

The group had a great gathering Tues evening at the quilt shop.  We filled up the long tables, laughed till it hurt and enjoyed so many projects.   I saw new faces and old faces, fresh projects and old projects.  And of course there was no knitting without fudge and chocolate!

It looks like Sally is knitting dogs again - OK, I am taking a break from socks!

 Our long table was filled up from end to end.  I think we were 20 strong last night!

 Part of the Heirloom block of the month - Sara has started her February block.

Everyone is doing their blocks in different colors and yarns - its most interesting!

 Rebecca has finished her February block which she has done in the luxurious Brushed Baby Alpaca - talk about a warm afghan to cuddle up under.

 Is this not the most lovely mascot - Always watching for those dropped stitches and mistakes.   The shop has two mascots, the other is a calico girl.  

 This is a Fair Isle sock which is about half way done.  It was really fun to talk to its knitter on challenges of this pattern.   Several of us have these wonderful pattern holders with the magnetic back that holds your pattern in place and folds over like a book when not in use - the shop has these in two sizes!   Its a MUST!!!  Why did I wait so long to get myself one - Oh, I remember I wanted yarn!

 This is a cute pair - yarn and chocolate!  When spring comes and we are all toxic from to much chocolate I wonder if we will see vegie trays at knit night instead!   Nah, couldn't happen, nothing says knitting fun like chocolate.

 This is a little sample of Vicki's March block.  I will post the directions on the blog in the next few days for you to print out.   This is the lovely cable stitch, its so much fun and once you do one you will fall in love with how easy it is and how difficult it appears to those who don't know how to do it!   Vicki is knitting her Heirloom Afghan in creams like Aran style afghan.   Love how the cream shows off the pattern so well.

 NO its not done yet!   I can tell they are addicted, they are still smiling!

Now this is really fun to watch!   The very first sock has started to get underway.   By the evenings end she was almost ready to start the heel flap!   She may become the new sock teacher!


It was a really fun night at Hearts & Twined Quilt Shop - Rebecca has some new pattern books in that had us drooling, new yarns are appearing and little wonderful knitting accessories.   Hope you can come join us each Tues night 5:30 - 7 PM over on Main Street - Where Everybody Knows Your Skein.

Its A Wrap - See Ya Next Year

 In anticipation of  January's sock class and the scary use of multiple needles I thought I would put your minds at rest. Here is what your needles will look like as you begin your first cast on.  Remember to go back to one of the older posts and get the link to your pattern for Easy Peasy Socks!   This is important for you to have when you start your sock. 

 Once you have your stitches on your
needles you can now just create a little triangle with your needles and you can see what it should look like.  Below are more images of how the work will progress to connect your first round. 

I know some of you will be wanting to experiment and go forward - GO FOR IT!!!   Play around and have fun. 

Back at the shop and our last gathering for the year, our knitting bags are full of items we are sharing - projects started and projects finished!   

 Vicki has started her Shrug - love her colors <G>, and the cool thing about these shrugs she and I are making is they are out of odds and ends of yarn stash.   So darn simple too - knit a ribbing for the arm, make a couple rows of increases and then just knit back and forth in rows of yarns and whatever stitches you want till you have the length you want.   Oh yeah, I see some of these on the table for next year coming out of your bags.

 Red, red, red  I love red and the scarf yarns come in so many great colors like this GREAT RED!  She makes it look so hard with all the concentration, but its a snap and will be done in no time.

 Did I hear someone say I thought we were goining to party - where's the chocolate!   Oh yeah, there was chocolate, and hot chocolate, cookies, fudge, I'm just saying - eating is just part of what we do!

 OK, so we actually do work on things and figure out patterns.  I guess more chocolate is needed!

 Lets see, Knit One, Purl One,,,No no, its Make One!  

 We had 20 people at the shop for our last get together.  We are all over the place, shopping, visiting, eating and just having a great time.  

We could not do this without our great shop owner Rebecca of HNT (Hearts Entwined) who keeps the shop open for us to come play - keeping the staff on, keeping the lights running and taking time from her schedule for the Odd Balls to thrive and play.  Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

 Oh, almost forgot, I finished my shrug!  I figured I would waltz in wearing it last night but the weather being 70 degrees at 5PM in the middle of winter sorta took the thrill out of the idea, so I just brought it along with me like an old friend tucked in my yarn bag. 

I have decided to put a crochet edge on it.  With all the different yarns in the rows it's given it a rather uneven effect (not that that is a bad thing!), but I think it could use a bit of finishing touches.

Remember Vicki is starting Jan with her block of the month, Her January pattern is toward the beginning of the blog posts for you to print out if you want to make it.   Till next year, keep your needles sharp!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
FS AKA: Fast Sally

January's Block Of The Month Here

 Another fun Tuesday evening.  Lots of discussion regarding the block of the month due to begin in January.  Usually the Aran afghans are done in cream colors which really show off the patterns, but you can do these in any colors you wish.  I believe the size needle will be size #9 but you can check with your illustrious leader FridleWoman aka Vicki to make sure your needle and guage will yield a nice 12 inch block with your chosen yarn.  Please understand that its with the best intentions to offer these free classes and support the shop that is hosting this space and time to you by purchasing your supplies and yarn for these projects at HNT. 

 

 

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Double check with your FridleWoman - Supplies ie: needles, cable holder and stitch markers - oh yeah a pencil and tablet help keep track of your rows!  Here is your January Pattern early!   Get ready to create the heirloom everyone will fight over to own.

Sampler Afghan Block of the Month

January 2013

Square Check Pattern

Cast on 62 stitches

________  Row 1:              (Right Side) Knit (k) all stitches

________  Row 2:             Purl (p)  all stitches

________  Row 3:  K 2 *p8, k2*; repeat from *

________  Row 4:  P2 *k8, p2* repeat from *

________  Row 5:  K2, *p2, K4, p2, k2; repeat from *

________  Row 6   P2, *k2, p4, k2, p2; repeat from *

________  Row 7:  K2, *p2, K4, p2, k2; repeat from *

________  Row 8:  P2, *k2, p4, k2, p2; repeat from *

________  Row 9:  K2, *p2, K4, p2, k2; repeat from *

________  Row 10 P2, *k2, p4, k2, p2; repeat from *

________  Row 11: K 2 *p8, k2*; repeat from *

________  Row 12 P2 *k8, p2* repeat from *

Repeat Rows 1-12 until block approximately measures 12 inches.  Bind off all stitches leaving last loop on needle. 

Edging:  Drop loop from needle, insert crochet hook in loop.  Do not turn work.  3 single crochet in each corner and 48 single crochet evenly spaced across each side.  Join with slip stitch to first single crochet, finish off.

Print Your Card, Spread The Word

Help everyone find us at the Quilt Shop.   Right click the photo and you can print out your own little card to hand out when you find a yarnie or odd ball who would love to join us.  You can also email me and I will send you an attachment of the card.  Feel free to put your name and email address on your cards when you hand them out - stay connected to all odd ball activities even if you miss out on some Tuesday fun by visiting the blog often or sign up for class patterns and updates.

See ya Tues!